Continuous casting apparatus with tiltable intermediate ladle



March 18, 1969 c ET AL 3,433,288

CONTINUOUS CASTING APPARATUS WITH TILTABLE INTERMEDIATE LADLE Filed Oct. 18, 1965 FBG.1

INVENTORS KLAUS BICK, BERNARDJJ'INNES ATTORNEYS 35,320 U.S. Cl. 164-281 Int. Cl. B22d 11/10 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An intermediate ladle movably mounted above a casting mold and below a casting ladle, on sliding means and roller means for guiding its movement horizontally and vertically in a tilting manner.

The invention relates to an intermediate ladle for the continuous casting of steel or non-ferrous metals, from which the casting material passes directly into the casting mold.

Among the techniques and apparatus known and employed in the prior art are intermediate ladles which can be closed by plugs, or intermediate ladles in which the outflow from the ladle cannot be closed off. In the first case the intermediate ladles are brought over the orifice in the mold. In the other case, the location of the ladles is such that the flow of steel can be interrupted by swinging an emergency channel into place.

Both methods of interrupting the flow of steel to the mold have their disadvantages. The use of plugs for closing 011 the bottom openings in the intermediate ladle requires precision and accuracy which under the circumstances is not always simple. Moreover, the wear on the plug member which is permanently held in an environment of molten steel in the intermediate ladle leads to contamination of the steel. Further, locating the intermediate ladle a slight distance from the opening of the mold causes a corresponding increase in the distance over which the stream of molten metal is exposed to air with a resulting increase in oxidation during the casting process.

These disadvantages are overcome by the intermediate ladle according to the present invention. Thus, according to the present invention, this continuous casting of steel or non-ferrous metals is eifected by forming the intermediate ladle as a boat shaped vessel which can be tilted or pivoted about an axis coincident with that of the molten stream and by advancing said pivot point. Such an intermediate ladle improves the quality of the cast material by avoiding the above-mentioned disadvantages which lead to reduction of its metallurgical qualities. Moreover, it makes possible a compact construction for continuous casting equipment and thereby has advantages with regard to efficiency and economy.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tiltable construction and the path of the movement of the upper periphery of the vessel can extend in a plane determined by its casting position, or it can lie below that plane. In this way, in all operative positions, the result achieved is that the upper periphery of the vessel cannot extend above the plane determined by its operative position in the casting position. This in turn allows for a cover to be placed upon the intermediate ladle according to the present invention. The cover, in all operative positions of the ladle, remains fixed and is provided with a filler opening.

In the present invention, the movement of the vessel may be halted in at least three operative positions, namely nited States Patent into the casting position, the checking position, and the emptying position. Thereby, it is a feature of the present invention to insure, by limiting the advance of the tiltable vessel, that flow from the casting ladle is still provided in the emptying position. The tiltable movement of the intermediate ladle thereby allows, according to a further inventive feature, the utilization of a connecting link guide.

Further details of the invention are explained in the following description in conjunction with the drawing.

FIGURE 1 shows a cross-section through the arrangement of the intermediate ladle between a casting ladle with bottom discharge and a continuous casting mold in the three main operative positions.

FIGURE 2 shows the arrangement of a connecting link guide for the tiltable ladle movement in a few details.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the steel or non-ferrous metal stream 2 of casting material immerging from the casting ladle 1, flows into the intermediate ladle 5 through the filler opening 3 in the fixed cover 4. Said stream flows into a body 6 of molten metal which passes from the ladle 5 shown in the casting position, through the outlet 7 and into the immediately adjacent opening 8 of the continuous casting mold 9.

The mold 9 together with its supporting frame 10 is carried in the structure 11.

This structure also carries the slag ladle 12 into which the casting material present in the intermediate ladle can be fed when this ladle assumes the emptying position 5'. It is to be noted that even in this emptying position the stream 2 of molten metal can still flow into the intermediate ladle.

In the further operative position 5" (the checking position) the intermediate ladle is primed before the casting process, i.e. it is filled with molten metal until, on tilting into the casting position 5" (drawn in full lines) the necessary minimum depth of metal for casting is present in the intermediate ladle. This manner of checking avoids the loss of molten metal which arises with the use of known plugless ladles, which must follow when the necessary depth of metal is achieved in the intermediate ladle.

FIG. 2 shows the means for providing the tilting and sliding movement of the intermediate ladle 5. A pair of guides 13 and 14 are provided which are supported by external means and which provide guiding support for a pair of rollers 15 and 16 disposed on ladle 5. As shown, when ladle 5 assumes positions 5" and 5', roller 15 assumes positions 17 and 19, respectively, and roller 16 assumes positions 18 and 20, respectively.

As pointed out hereinabove, the construction of the vessel in the present invention is such that the intermediate ladle is tiltable from its casting position 5" by moving the ladle along guides 13 and 14 as shown in FIG. 2. Further, it should be noted that in this arrangement the cover 4 of the ladle, together with its filling opening, remain stationary. This manner of operation of the intermediate ladle has the advantages set out in the introduction.

While the preferred embodiments have been particularly pointed out by the foregoing, it is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be made to the structure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set out in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for the continuous casting of molten steel or non-ferrous metals comprising a casting ladle, a casting mold, an intermediate ladle, mounting means mounting said intermediate ladle above said casting mold and below said casting ladle, said mounting means including roller means and cooperating guide means for guiding the movement of said intermediate ladle horizontally and vertically in a tilting manner, said casting ladle having an opening in its bottom positioned directly above said intermediate ladle in all positions of the latter, said casting mold being provided with an opening in the top and said intermediate ladle having an opening in its bottom which is aligned with said casting mold when said intermediate ladle is in a substantially horizontal casting position.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said intermediate ladle has a beak shaped portion, and said guiding and roller means are adapted to selectively guide said intermediate ladle into said horizontal casting position, horizontally and vertically into a tilted position wherein said opening in the bottom of said intermediate ladle is positioned in the same horizontal plane as an upper edge of said beak shaped portion, and horizontally and vertically into a tilted discharge position.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a cover member fixed with respect to said casting ladle and having an inlet opening therein, said cover member forming a covering for said intermediate ladle when said intermediate ladle is in its horizontal position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1. SPENCER OV-ERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

R. D. BALDWIN, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 164-337 

